Mo Farah in five facts
Five facts on Mo Farah after his sensational 10,000m triumph at the Rio Olympics on Saturday:
FROM WAR-TORN MOGADISHU TO TRACK IMMORTALITY
Mo Farah’s remarkable rise to track greatness had a troubled beginning. Born in the Somali capital Mogadishu on 23 March, 1983 he grew up amid the turmoil of Somalia’s civil war and neighbouring Djibouti. He left all that behind him though when aged eight his father brought him to London to start a new life, and change the course of sporting history.
TALENT SPOTTED
He may have only had a smattering of English but his innate running gift transcended language barriers. He was spotted by physical education teacher Alan Watkinson, who took him under his wing at Feltham Community College in west London. “I took him to a schools cross-country championship. He literally didn’t know what was going on and ran in the wrong direction,” Watkinson told The Independent newspaper in 2010. “He had to follow the other kids around and he still managed to finish second. A few weeks later we went to a county championship and he came fourth despite having no spikes. He had something special. I took him aside and told him that if he stuck at running, he could one day compete for Britain.” He has since won 10,000m gold medals and one for 5,000m at the Olympics.
THE OTHER M SIGN
A global hamburger fastfood chain may have got there before him but Mo has made the ‘M’ gesture his own very endearing trademark. The hand-to-head move was endorsed by none other than sprint king Usain Bolt after Mo’s 5,000m triumph at London 2012. The so-called Mobot came about as The Guardian recounted in a rather mundane manner. TV presenter Clare Balding suggested to him before the London Olympics: “I think you should do the ‘M’ from YMCA, the M for Mo,” performing the by now famous move.
FAMILY MAN WITH A SECRET SKILL
Farah and his wife Tania have three daughters; Rihanna, twins Aisha and Amani, and Hussein, a son, born in 2015 “The last time I cried was when I saw my twin girls being born,” he recounted in 2013. He dedicated his two gold medals at London 2012 to the twins. Aside from running Mo has another, less well known talent. “My secret skill is making animal noises like a lion or a dog. They’re not bad.”
OVER ZEALOUS AIRPORT SECURITY
Farah was stopped and questioned by US border control as he returned to his home in Portland, Oregon for Christmas in 2012. Even when he presented them with his two Olympic gold medals they weren’t persuaded as to his identity. He told The Sun newspaper: “”I couldn’t believe it. Because of my Somali origin I get detained every time I come through US Customs. This time I even got my medals out to show who I am, but they wouldn’t have it.” If the same officials stop him again he can pull out not two but three medals, which should settle the issue.